Rotary gas-engine.



G. S. DAWE. ROTARY GAS ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 25. I916- PatentedJune 12, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

G. S. DAWE. ROTARY GAS ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, I916- PatentedJune 12, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

e. s. DAWE. ROTARY GAS ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, I916- PatentedJune 12, 1917.

.4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

GEORGE SAMUEL DAWE, OF PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND.

E0 TARY GAS-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

l atented June 112, 1191?.

Application filed May 25, 1916. Serial No. 99,770.

The present invention relates to rotary engines and more particularly toa rotary engine of the internal combustion type and the invention seeksto provide a rotary gas engine of this type which will be of but fewparts and which will be strong, durable and etlicient when in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide an engine of thischaracter which will be of good balance thereby eliminating a great dealof the vibration.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a rotary engine of thetype' aforesaid wherein the rotors or pistons of the engine will at theproper time draw in a suitable supply of an explosive mixture, andcompress the same preparatory to its discharge.

'With'the above and other objects in View,

which will hereinafter appear as the description continues, theinvention consists of the novel features of construction and theformation of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described andparticularly pointed. out in the appended claims.

in the accompanying drawings is shown the simple and preferred formofthe invention it being, however, understood that no limitation isnecessarily made to the precise strrmtural details herein exhibited butthe right is hereby reserved to any changes or alteratixims that may behad and come within the scope of the invention without departing fromthe spirit thereof or sacrificing the efficiency of the same.

in the accompanying drawings;

Figure l is a side elevation of the rotary engine embodying theinvention having portions thereof broken away to better illustrate aportionof the interior construction;

Fig; 2- is a vertical longitudinal section through L the same Rig. 3 isa horizontal section taken on the line 3'3 of Fig. 9

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line H of Fig. 2; v

Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the piston and driving shaft; and,

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail diagrammatical views to more clearly illustratethe stroke of the engine during one complete revolution.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like andcorresponding parts are designated by similar reference charactersthroughout the several views.

The casing including a portion of the engine forming the subject matterof the present invention is divided up into two sections indicated bythe numerals 1 and 2 being connected bya stationary partition 3. Formedintegral with the stationary parti-' tion 3 is an annularly extendingring 4 whichrests between the inner flanges 5 of the sections 1 and 2and the three are connected together by means of the bolts 6. Thesections of the casing l and 2 have formed integral therewith supportinglegs 7 upon which the engine is mounted and these legs are arrangedadjacent to each end of each section. The outer ends of the sections 1and 2 are provided with flanges 8 to which are connected by means of thebolts 9 the flanges 10 of the end walls 11 which close the ends of thecasing.

Rotatably mounted within the end walls 11 and the central partition 3 isthe main driving shaft 12. This shaft 12 is supported by i the coneshaft bearings 13 threaded within a socket formed within each of the endwalls 11 and check nuts 1:1 retain these bearings in place. Alsoarranged within the sockets formed within the end walls 11 at the rearof the cone bearings are gland rings 15 and packing 16 is also arrangedwithin each of the said recesses which is kept tight by the conebearings resting against a spiral spring 17 also arranged within thesaid recesses. Whereas l have shown and described a particular bearingfor the shaft 12 in each of the end walls 11 it is of courseto beunderstood that any suitable bearings may be used. A fly wheel 18 iscarried by one end of the shaft and a small pinion 19 is carried by theopposite end of the shaft. This pinion 19 meshes with an idler 20supported upon the bearing shaft carried by one of the end blocks of thecasing and the idler 20 meshes with a large gear 22 carried by alongitudinally extending shaft 23 which and 2 and the purpose of thisshaft will be v driving shaft 12.

hereinafter described.

Slidably mounted upon the shaft 12 is a sleeve 25 but this sleeve iskeyed to the shaft 25 by means of the key 26 extending longitudinally ofthe shaft whereby the said sleeve may slide longitudinally upon saidshaft but will be caused to rotate therewith. This sleeve 25 is adaptedto slide within the partition 3 and'is provided with packing rings 27 soas to prevent any leakage of the explosive gas or exhaust from eithercylinder of the engine. Carried by each end of the sleeve 25 are therotors or pistons 28. These pistons lie parallel with each other but arearranged at an angle of about 5'0 with respect to the driven shaft 12These pistons 28 travel within the spaces formed between the end walls11 and the central partition 3 and divide each space up into twocylinders in each of which takesplace the compression and explosion ofthe explosive mixture. The space at the left hand side of the engine isdivided by means of the piston traveling in that space into explosivechambers A and B whereas the space at the right hand side of the engineis likewise divided up into the explosive chambers U and I).

The central partition 3 as will be noted in Fig. 2 of the drawings is ofgreater width at its upper end than at its lower end and its side wallsat their medial. portions are inclined at an angle of 50" and areparallel with the side Walls of the pistons. llncircling these centrallyinclined portions of the partition 8 are flattened faces 2) which areperpeildicular to the base of the engine and extend at right angles tothe driving shaft 12. The inner faces of the end walls 11. are alsoinclined in an opposite direction to the adjacent inclined faces of thepartition 3 and arealso adapted to lie parallel with the side faces ofthe pistons 28. Tlncirclingthe inclined portions of these end walls 11are flat annular faces 30 which also lie in a perpendicular plane and atright angles to the lhe opposite side walls of each of the pistons 28adjacent their. peripheries are provided with flat annular faces 31which are adapted to coii'icide during their revolving operation withthe flat annular faces 29 and 30 and these annular faces also lie in aplane at right angles to the driving shaft 12 when the pistons or rotorsare connected thereto. Encircling the outer peripheries of the pistons28 are packing rings 32- which engage with the inner peripheries of thesections of the casings 1 and 2 and prevent leakage from either of theexplosive chambers. Encircliing the sections 1 and 2 of the casingarewat er jackets 33 which provide a cooling medium for the cylindersand may be connected in any preferred or well known manner to a watercooling system. Whereas I have shown and described a water coolingsystem for the cylinders. it is of course to be understood that anyconventional form of air cooled system may be applied to the sectionsofthe casing for cooling the cylinders which is common and well known inthe art of explosive'engines.

Arranged within the partitions 11 and opposite side walls of thepartition 3 are re ceses in which are mounted the rollers 3e: and 35 andwhich rollers are adapted. to rest upon the flat faces 31 of the pistons28 dur: ing their entire operation. lVhen an explosion takes place onone side of the piston pressure would be exerted upon the roller whichbears upon the opposite face of the piston to which the explosion takesplace. The path adjacent to this roller being inclined at an angle ofabout 50 to the shaft axis, the piston must necessarily give way to thepressure exerted on it and due to its cam shape it will be caused torevolve. The

center of the pistons during the revolving of the same slides inalongitudinal direction upon the shaft but one point of each piston isprevented from this sliding movement as it passes between the rollers34: and Whereas in the drawings I have shown a single roller resting oneach side of each piston it is apparent from such construction that-thewearing efficiency would be increased but these rollers only show aconventional form of an antifriction device which may be substitutedtherefor and as .such antifriction devices would not form the 'subect-nuitter of the present invention and are well known to those-skilledwithinthis art it is thought to be unnecessary to go further intodetails of such constructions but the rollers 34 and 35 will assist inbetter illustrating the principles of the invention.

Leading to each of the explosive chambers A, B, C and D are the intakeand exhaust ports 36 and 37 respectively. These intake and exhaust portslead to the explosive chambers adjacent the medial portion thereof asbetter illustrated in Fig. 4 and the inlet port is in communication withthe vertical passageway 38. Leading from this passageway 38 is apassageway which is connected to any suitable source of supply forfeeding the explosive mixture to the combustion chamber. Arranged withinthe channel-way 38 is an ordinary inverted mushroom valve 40 havingextended there from and through the upper end of the casing a valve rodll whereby upon the depression ofthe valve rod the valve 1-0 will beopened and communication established between the pasageways 38 and 39whereby the explosive mixture may enter the inlet port 36 and then intothe explosive chamb r and 45 whereby they maybe depressed and the valvesconnected thereto opened. The cams 46 and the arrangement of the gears19, 20 and 22 may be such that a proper timing mechanism will beaccomplished for permitting the entrance of the explosive gases to eachexplosive chamber at the proper time and at the proper time permit theexhaust gases from the explosive chambers to escape to the atmosphere.Leading to each of the explosive chambers are the.

spark plugs'l'i which are also connected to any suitable source ofenergy and timing de-' vice whereby the explosion will take place at theproper time in each explosive chamber.

The operation of the invention will be best understood with thefollowing descrip tion having reference to Figs. 6 and 7 of thedrawings; when the proper supply of explosive mixture has been admittedwithin the chamber A and compressed, the chamber B- will during thecompressing operation within the-chamber A draw in a new supply of gaswhile the exhaust gas contained within the chamber C will be exhaustingand the firing of the explosive mixture will take place in the chamberD. Upon the next quarter revolution the firing will take place inchamber A as shown in Fig. 7, compression will take place in chamber B,the drawing in of a newsupply of explosive mixture will take place inchamber C and the burnt gases contained within chamber D will be forcedfrom the chamber and exhausted. Upon the next fourth revolution thechamber A will exhaust, fir.- ing will take place in chamber B,compression will take place in chamber C and the drawing of a new supplyof gas will take place in chamber I). In the last quarter of therevolution the chamber A will draw in a new supply of explosive mixture,the chamber B will exhaust the burnt gases contained therein, firing ofthe explosive mix ture will take place in chamber C while compressionwill take place in chamber D. This action takes place throughout eachrevolution of the pistons. It is of course to beunderstood-that the'timing mechanism is to-be brought into play at the proper time forcausing the explosive mixture to explode &

within the chambers It will also be noted I from Figs. 6 and 7 that dueto the cam construction of the pistons 28 the sleeve 25 will be moved ina longitudinal direction upon the shaft 12 thereby causing a portion ofthe pistons to travel laterally Within spaces formed between thepartition 3 and the end walls 11 thereby causing the burnt gases to beforced from the chambers and the new supply of combustible mixture to becoinpressed Within the chambers prior to'explosion. Having thus fullydescribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. An internal combustion engine comprising a sectional casing, apartition dividing the sections of the casing and connected therewith, ashaft journaled within said casing, a sleeve slidably mounted upon saidshaft, each of the said sections having a chamber formed therein, theopposite ends of said sleeve terminating within said chambers, a pistoncarried by-each end of said sleeve and arranged at an angle .of about 50therewith, said pistons adapted to revolve within said chambers, aninlet and exhaust ort-leading to said chambers at each side 0 saidpistons, valves arranged within said inlet and exhaust ports, and atiming mechanism connecting said shaft with said inlet and exhaustvalve'swhereby upon the rotation of said shaft the valves will be.

operated substantially pose set forth.

2. An internal combustion'engfine comprising a cylindrical casing, apartition aras and for the purranged within said casing forminga-chamrigidly connected to the opposite ends of said sleeve and adaptedto revolve within.

said chambers and means whereby upon the rotation of said shaft thepistons will be caused to jointly slide upon said shaft for the purposespecified.

4. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising a casing, a partitionfor dividing said casing into two chambers, the end walls of the casingand the side walls of the partition being inclined, a shaft journaledwithin said casing, a sleeve keyed to said shaft and adapted to slidethereupon, a piston carried by each end of said sleevev and adapted torevolve within said chambers, whereby upon the rotation of said shaftthe opposite faces of said piston will lie parallel with said inclinedWalls when adjacent thereto substan tially as and for the purposespecified.

5. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising a cylindrical casing,a partition for dividing the sections of the casing into chambers, ashaft journaled Within said casing, pistons slidahly mounted upon saidshaft and adapted to revolve Within said chambers, inlet and exhaustports leading to said chambers on each side of said pistons, valvesarranged Within Said inlet and exhaust ports, a timing shaft journaledupon said casing and operatively connected to the 5 first mentionedshaft, and cams carried by said timing shaft adapted to actuate saidvalves substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set 26 my hand.

JAMns M. DAvisoN, ANNIE Gossn.

